Respiratory Therapist

What Do Respiratory Therapists Do?

The Respiratory Therapist program at Somerset Community College prepares graduates to provide and manage client care by becoming members within the discipline of respiratory care. Graduates are prepared and eligible to take credentialing examinations administered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) to practice as entry level practitioners (CRT) as well as advanced level practitioners (RRT). Like most states in the nation, Kentucky has a mandatory certification law for Respiratory Care Practitioners. This certification gives the holder the right to practice respiratory care in the Commonwealth. Reciprocity exists between Kentucky and most all other states.

What are my career options?

Respiratory Therapists work as important members of the health care team and provide treatments to clients with cardiopulmonary disorders. Most therapists are employed in cardiopulmonary medicine or respiratory care departments of hospitals. Others are employed by home health agencies, pulmonary rehabilitation programs, pulmonary function laboratories, medical device companies, and physician offices. For further information regarding this profession, please visit www.AARC.org.

What are my degrees, diploma, and certificate options?

If you would like a PDF copy of a program plan, please email the program coordinator.

How do I apply?

All students planning to apply to the next Respiratory Therapist Program, beginning August 2025, MUST attend a Pre-Admission Conference prior to applying.

Find in-person Pre-Admission Conference dates, or complete the Pre-Admission Conference online!

Additional Information

• Four semester program
• Leads to an Associate in Applied Science Degree (AAS) with a general education requirement of 23 hours
• Respiratory Care Technical Coursework (45-47 hours)
• Theory/Skills presented in lecture/lab format
• Clinical Component: Held in clinical sites which provide services to respiratory patients
• Highly Recommended general education courses of 6-7 hours.
• Program Goal: To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

Accreditation

The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, 264 Precision Blvd, Telford, TN 37690. CoARC (www.coarc.com) accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilized an “outcomes-based” process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented. Please use the link to review programmatic outcomes data.

The Somerset Community College Respiratory Therapy Program located at 100 University Drive, London, Ky 40741, CoARC number 200532, which awards the Associate in Applied Science degree is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (www.coarc.com).

Length of Program

You can earn an associate in applied science degree in two years if you maintain full-time status.

This information should not be considered a substitute for the KCTCS Catalog. You should always choose classes in cooperation with your faculty advisor to ensure that you meet all degree requirements.